Here's to 42, forever a man among boys.

Mobile post sent by Chris using Utterz. Replies. mp3

LA Angels dumbass , I mean outfielder, Torri Hunter made quite the controversial statement the other day, regarding Jackie Robinson Day, and the more I thought about it, the more it really irked me. "This is supposed to be an honor, and just a handful of guys wearing the number. Now you've got entire teams doing it. I think we're killing the meaning. It should be special wearing Jackie's number, not just because it looks cool."

"What upset Hunter, he says now, was this: The Houston Astros had no black players on their team last April, and yet the entire team wore No. 42." According to him, "That got it away from, 'OK, we don't have any blacks." He also went on to say that a team roster without black players didn't represent the progress for which Jackie Robinson stood. (Source 2)

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't Jackie Robinson Day all about honoring him as a player? Robinson was a man who wanted to break the barriers between black and white, so wouldn't having both BLACK and WHITE players wearing his number be the best way to honor him?

I also find it hard to believe that Mr. Hunter didn't do his homework. The Houston Astros - as of 2008 - have 2 African-American players: Cecil Cooper & Michael Bourn. It should be noted that both players will both be wearing No. 42 in Robinson's honor today.

The LA Angels (Hunter's team), the LA Dodgers, the New York Mets, the Oakland Athletics, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Texas Rangers, and the Washington Nations will have every player donning No. 42 on their jerseys.

As for the Yankees, only Robinson Cano (who was named after Jackie Robinson), Joe Girardi, Derek Jeter, and Marino Rivera will be sporting the number.

"Yankees closer extraordinaire Mariano Rivera is the last of the players who don the No. 42 on day-to-day basis. Rivera was grandfathered when Selig retired it 11 years ago. When Rivera retires there will be no more." (Source 1)

[[Source 1]]

[[Source 2]]

Sidenote: If any of you are interested in reading a Q&A with Derek Jeter about Jackie Robinson Day, read this article.

Also, my thoughts and prayers go out to Joba Chamberlain, his father Harlan, and their entire family. For the first time this season, I agree with Girardi on one thing: "He's got to take care of his dad. When the time is right, he'll be back. Family comes first, take care of Pops." [[Source]]

Peace, Love, & Baseball,
Carli

By Mark Kelly, ESPN Research

1 MVP award and Rookie of the Year award won.

2 Number of World Series HRs

3 Number of ABs in his first game

4 Number of sports lettered in at

UCLA

5 The youngest of 5 children

6 Number of World Series appearances

7 Number of seasons he scored 99 or more runs Inning that he stole home in
Game 1 of 1955 WS

8 More runs than strikeouts in World Series career

9 Number of times he was hit by a pitch in rookie season

10 Number of seasons in MLB.

To continue reading this list, click here.

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By Mark Kelly, ESPN Research

1 MVP award and Rookie of the Year award won.

2 Number of World Series HRs

3 Number of ABs in his first game

4 Number of sports lettered in at

UCLA

5 The youngest of 5 children

6 Number of World Series appearances

7 Number of seasons he scored 99 or more runs Inning that he stole home in
Game 1 of 1955 WS

8 More runs than strikeouts in World Series career

9 Number of times he was hit by a pitch in rookie season

10 Number of seasons in MLB.

To continue reading this list, click here.

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Title of data

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In honor of Jackie Robinson day, I felt that I should reiterate some of my earlier points about why Major League baseball’s celebration is an outrage.

Jackie Robinson was a great person.  He showed astounding strength and performed a necessary service for both baseball and society.  There is nothing wrong with celebrating his legacy or having a day to honor him.

For the 50^th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut in 1997, MLB retired his number 42.  This was seemingly well intentioned, but, as with many Selig institutions, it has become an overblown farce.  The act shifted the emphasis to his number, 42, something that was entirely trivial, rather than the player himself.  He is no longer a civil rights hero, but a bombastic blue plaque in every ballpark.

Last season for the 60^th anniversary, baseball allowed Ken Griffey Jr. to wear 42, followed by every team having a designated 42, followed by all the Dodgers wearing 42, followed by an eventual free-for-all with no individual or team wanting to be out 42-ed.  This year they will do the same.

The original gesture was cheap.  The secondary one is a mere gimmick.

The worst part is, it has ruined the only legitimate tribute, allowing an African-American player to wear 42 every day, in his own solitary tribute.